Push-button switch construction



Aug. 22, 1939. R. s. EDWARDS 2,169,993

PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH CONSTRUCTION I Filed June 19, 1937 A um V 29a 70% 0 Z/36 3l $2/ WW imm. y

INVENTOR Ro er? AS'. Edwards ORNEY -Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,169,996 PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Application June 19,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to push button switch construction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a push button switch construction that will be small, compact and durable, simple in construction, `inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install. Another object is to provide a push button switch construction that will eliminate certain disadvantages inherent in constructions -l0 heretofore known and used. Another object is to provide a construction of the aboye-mentioned character that will be of dependable mechanical and electrical action, strong, though compact, and which when installed will insure neatness vlli of appearance and snugness and nicety of ,interiitting with the supporting surface in connection with which it is employed.

Another object is to provide a push button switch construction the component parts of which are of inexpensive manufacture" and are capable of speedy, simple and inexpensive assembly. Another object is to provide a push button switch construction which willdependably lend itself to wide variation in change of front plate 2g or other device provided for ornamentation or niceness of appearance while maintaining standardization of structure and manufacture of the remaining parts of the construction. Another object is to provide a push button switch subassembly capable 'of standardization of manu-- facture and capable of ease of installation and capable of having related thereto any one of a variety of different forms or shapes of cover plates or other outer ornamental escutcheon or the like. Another object'is to provide a push button switch construction by which the bulkiness of structure and appearance of Idevices as heretofore known and used ,may be dependably and inexpensively avoided. `Another object is generally to provide an improved push button switch construction. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the feavtures of construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

w In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure 1 Ais a front elevation of a push button switch construction as it appears installed;

Figure 2 `is a transverse sectional view on an 1937, Seal No. 149,148

(Cl. 20o-159) Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring iirst to Figures 1 and 2, there is indicated at I0 a wall, or the like, such as a portion of a. door frame, to which the push button switch construction is to be related and the construction preferably is such that what is exposed to view comprises an outer or cover plate II provided with an aperture I2 through which projects a push button I3 for manual actuation, and as is later pointed out, the cover plate II, though preferably of small dimension in a direction at right angles to the face of the wall I0, may be of varied configuration or shape and that the remaining parts of the construction permit ready adaptation thereto of am' other suitable shape or configuration of cover plate.

The switch structure is preferably of such form that it is contained within a hole I4 (Figures 2 and 4) that is bored into the wall I0 and is of less expanse than the cover plate I I. This structure` preferably comprises a main supporting meniber generally indicated by the reference character I5 and better shown in perspective in Figure 5, being made of sheet metal and preferably constructed to be easily stamped.

Thus, the member I5 has a central generally rectangular main part I6 which at its center has a round hole I1 and which to either side of the hole I1 hastwo depending arms I8 and I9 whose.- lowermst ends are of lesser width to provide lugs or ears 2li and 2l respectively, leaving preferably -squared-off shoulders 22 and 23, as shown inFigure5., t

Into the hole` I1 and from the under side of the part I6, as viewed in Figures 2 and 5, is inserted the'push button .I3 which is flanged' as at I3, thus to limit the extent of upward movement of the button I3 by engagement -of the flange with the under side of the part I6. The button I3 is preferably round, as is also the hole I1, and depending centrallyirom the button I3 is a stud or pin 24; the button I3 is preferably made of a moldable material like Bakelite, and the stud 24 may be secured thereto as by having its upper end suitably configured and anchored therein during the molding of the button I3.

Onto the pin 24 is strung a metal disk 25 appropriately apertured to receive the pin 24, and the member 25 may conveniently be a washer of the supporting member I are now ready t0- have related to them a sub-assembly which preferably comprises a supporting member 21 and combined connecting and contact members 28 and 29. Of this sub-assembly supporting member 21 is preferably made of insulating material, such as fiber, or the like, and conveniently is In the form of a.' disk, being constructed so as to be easily stamped. IThus at opposed points, preferably along a diameter, the member 21 is given rectangular holes 38 and 3| for snugly, and preferably with a press-fit, receiving the shank portions 28*l and 29, respectively, of the contact-connector members 28 and 29, shoulders of the latter, as is better shown in Figure 3, taking against the under side of the member 21. The parts 28, 29 are preferably made of brass, bronze, or' the like, and preferably also are stampings and preferably identical in shape and form. At their lower ends they have threaded openings for receiving binding screws 32 and 33, respectively, by which the conductors may be electrically and mechanically engaged andv connected.

The shank portions are of a length suiiicient -to project beyond the upper surface of the member 21, and they are anchored to the'latter in any suitable way. Illustratively and preferably, they may be held against movement out of their respective holes as by expanding the metal of the upper ends of the shank portions, as is better shown in Figure 3. Any suitable instrument may be employed, preferably a two-prong instrument, which, when forced downwardly, forces or spreads the metal laterally, as at A and B, thus dependably and tightly anchoring the part in the member 21, and leaving protruding upwardly a central part 29b for member 29 and 28b for member 28 which, as will later appear, serve as contact members for coaction witlf the conductive bridging member or washer 2,5 of Figure 2.

y The member 21 is apertured or slotted at opposed and preferably diametrically opposed points, as at 34 and 35 (Figure 4) to accommodate therein, when the sub-assembly 21-28-28 is moved upwardly, the ears or lugs 2|! and 2|, respectively, of thesupporting member I5 of Figure 5, the upper face of the member 21 coming to rest against the shoulders 22 and 23 of the depending arms I6-I9 which are thus effective to aline the insulating support 21 with respect to the main portion I6 of the member I5, preferably in parallelism with it, and thus position it at right angles to the axis along which the push button I3 is to move; the ears or lugs 20, 2| are of sufficient length so that they may be bent inwardly and upwardly against the under face of the member 21, as at 29 and 2I, respectively, of Figure 3, thus clamping the memwhich enters the hole, the lower end of spring 26 abutting against the upper face of the mem)- ber 21 and the spring thereafter acting to hold the bridging member 25 with the button I3 and its guiding pin 24 in uppermost position, as shown in Figure 2, movement of the push but-` ton I3 being thereafter guided by coaction between pin 24 and hole 36 and the upper cylindrical portion of the button I3 and the hole I1 in the member I6. Downward movement of the button I3 against the axis of spring 26 brings the bridging member 25 into engagement with the contact portions 2lib and 29b of the contactconnector members 28 and 29, respectively, thus to close the circuitinrwhich these members are Aconnected by their respective binding screws.

Preferably, member 25 is springy and the under face I3 of button I3 convex so that the former may adjust itself to and,`in engaging them, bend and scrape against the two contacts 28b and 29", assuring a self-cleaning action.

In installing the switch construction, the ho1e l I4 is drilled i the part or Wall I0 andy the subassembly comprising the member I5 with the parts carried by it, namely, the sub-assembly 21-28-29, and the push button with the spring and washer, are related to the wall structure after the conductors 38-39, which are first drawn out through the hole I4 for that purpose, `are connected to the members 28 and 29, respectively; the parts of thestructure below the plane of the under face of .the portion I6 vof the member, I4 are entered into the hole I4, to bring the outer end `portions of the part I6 flush against the outer face of the wall I0. These portions/are appropriately apertured, las at 40 and 4I, whereby screws or nails 42, 43 (Figure 2) may be used to secure the construction against movement away from the wall or out of thehole I4. f'

The extreme ends of the crosspiece I6 are turned upwardly as at I5a and |61@ (Figures l and 5) and also apertured as at .I 6c ^and I6d, the apertures being thus exposed to the left and right, as viewed in Figures 2 and 5, for coaction with the cover plateor vmember II. l

'I'he latter, as 'above noted.' is preferably of sheet metal and is peripherally .flanged as at Il* (Figure 2) and at appropriate opposed points erably curved or cam-shaped, as indicated inl Figure 2, and the coaction therebetween and the upturned end portions of the member I5 is, by

reason of the resiliency of the upturned portions of the member I'6 or the resiliency Yof the flange II, or both, a yielding one, permitting theshallow cover plate II to -be snapped into assembly, as shown in Figure 1, or to be pryed ofi if desired and thus easily assembled or disassembled with respect to the switch structure.

'I'he preferred cam shape of the protrusions 44 and 45'in coaction with the yieldability or spring action of the part or parts preferably is such that the member II is drawn downwardly, as viewed in Figure 1, against the face of the wall I0 and thus the peripheral edgeportions of the flangev aieaeoe end portions of the'member I6 may be assembled or disassembled in'the manner above-described.

For example, the cover plate may be oval in outline, as indicated at 46 in Figure 6; appropriately provided with inward protrusions 44 and 45 mem.- ber 46 lmay be related to the switch structure an-d wall lll in they manner already above described. Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided in this invention a construction in which the various objects together with many advantages are successfully achieved. For example. it will be seen that a single sub-assembly orswitch structure may be manufactured as a standard in combination with as large a variety of different shapes or outlines of cover plates as may bedesired, assembly of any one of the latter to th --Y'former being easily and quickly achieved. Furthermore, it will be seen that the portions of the structure that are exposed outwardly of the front face of the wall I may be made unobtrusive in appearance and may, as in the illustrative form of. Figure 2,Y be constructed quite shallow, leaving the face of the wall free from ugly or bulky and protruding parts, shells, or casings, such as are common Vin constructions heretofore employed.

Furthermore, the construction will be seen to be thoroughly practical and well adapted to meet the varying conditions'of hard practical use.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes' might be made in lthe embodiment above set forth, it

is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not lin a limiting, sense.

Kends with-deformable lugs, an insulating member carrying connector-contact means having the connector elements thereof exposed at the under face \of said insulating member and the contact elements thereofI exposed at the upper face, said insulating member having means coactlng with said lugs for holding it assembled to said depend- Y ing supporting parts, a spring-opposed push but.- ton structure having a button projecting upwardly through the aperture in said central portion and ange means to engage against the under lace of the latter to limitfupward movement of said button and having conductive means adapted upon movement of said buttonv to engage isaid contact elements, whereby said sub-assembly,

as a unit, may be assembled to the w-all to bring said depending supporting parts and the parts .carried thereby into said hole and to bring said opposed end portions of said sheet metal member against the face of said wall on opposite sides of said hole, said opposed end portions having aperture means for securing said sub-assembly, as by screws, in position on said wall, and the other of said two parts comprising an apertured cover plate having a peripheral ilange to engage the wall surface about said hole and an aperture through which said button is exposed therethrough, whereby said cover plate covers over said sub-assembly and said screws, excepting said button, said flange and said opposed end portions of said sheet metal member having means for detachably interengaging and thereby holding said cover plate in position.

2. A construction as claimed in claim, 1 inwhich said depending supporting parts comprise lateral extensions of the central portion of said sheet metal member and are .bent downwardly intosubstantial parallelism to be received within the wall in said hole and .to bring their respective lugs in-to coacting relationship with said insulating member.

3. A push button switch construction for assembly to a wall or the like comprising two parts one of which is a unitary sub-assembly that comf prises a supporting frame to bridge across a hole in the said wall and thereby bring opposed portions of said frame to rest against the i'ace of said wall on opposite sides of said hole, said frame having a central opening with depending means that enter into said hole, said depending means supporting insulating means carrying connectorcontact means having the connector elements thereof exposed at the under side for connection with conductors in said hole, there being circuitclosing means coacting with said connector-contact means including a spring opposed push but-j ton having a portion projecting upwardly through said opening in said frame and having means for preventing it from passing through said opening, whereby said sub-assembly may be assembled to said wall with said'supporting frame resting against the face of the latter and said push button projecting outwardly therefrom, those portions of said frame resting against said wall face' ing to expose `said push button externally of said cover plate, said supporting frame and said cover plate having nterengaging means for holding the cover plate assembled to said supporting frame, whereby said cover plate can be assembled after installation of said sub-assembly.

ROBERT S.- EDWARDS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION., Patent No. 2,169,996. Agust 22, 1959o RQBERT s. EDWARDS. i' It is hereby certified -that error appears in the abovenuihhered patent requiring correction as follows: ln. the grant, line 5, and in the heading to the printed-specification, line 5, for "a corporation f Connecticut read a corporation of New York, as shown by the record of assignments in this office.;Y and that the said Letters Patent should bev read with thisl correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case `in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of September, A. D 1959.,

Henry- -Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner of' Patents. 

